Filing cabinet drawer



Dec. 5, 1950 J. R* nJoNx-:s 2,532,623

FILING CABINET DRAWER Filed July 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

fmes 7o-nes Dec. 5, 1950 J. R. JONES 2,532,623

FILING CABINET DRAWER Filed July 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

oreggs,

Patented Dec. 5, 1950 FILING CAINET DRAWER .lames R. Jones, Lakewood, N. Y., assignor to Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown, N. Y.

ApplicationJuly 16, 1948, Serial No. 39,129

(Cl. S12-273) 9 Claims.

l This invention relates to filing cabinet drawers having compression plates disposed at the rear ends thereof to permit the files contained in the drawer to be rendered more readily accessible and for compressing the iiles when the drawer is closed.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a drawer with a compression plate yieldingly held in position to compress the files in the drawer and, when the drawer is opened, may be swung rearwardly and releasably held in such a position while the drawer is open, to afford ready access to the les. Another object of this invention is to provide a latch for holding the compression plate in inclined position against spring action to render the files in the drawer more readily accessible for inspection and removal, and which latch when released permits the compression plate to be moved by said spring action into the compressing position. Another object is to provide means for automatically releasing the latch when the drawer is moved into closed position to permit the compression plate to be yieldingly urged into position to compress the les Within the drawer. A further object is to provide a drawer with a compact arrangement of springs which urge the compression plate into position to compress the files. It is also an object of this invention to provide a filing drawerwith a release bar or cam member mounted on the cabinet and arranged to release a latch for holding the compression plate in rearwardly swung position, to permit the compression plate to be moved by spring action into substantially upright position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following descriptionl and the novel features of this invention are set forth in the appended claims. l 1

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example one embodiment of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a filing drawer removed from its cabinet and provided with a compression plate and actuating mechanism therefor embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation approximately on line 2--2, Fig. l, on a slightly larger scale, and showing a portion of the drawer arranged within a cabinet.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof similar to Fig. 2, but showing the compression bar in position to compress the files.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof, on line 4--4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation thereof, on line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation thereof, on line t-J, Fig. 4.

The filing drawer on which the improvements embodying my invention are employed may be of any suitable or desired construction, that shown by way of example in the drawings including a front panel IU, which is rigidly secured to the drawer sides I I and I2, and I4 represents the bottom of the drawer. The bottom may be of any suitable or desired construction and may have a depression or channel I 5 extending centrally and longitudinally of the drawer bottom, a-nd this channel may be formed to cooperate with spacer plates (not shown), such as are commonly used in connection with drawers of this type.

The upper portions of the sides I I and I2 of the drawer are preferably channelled as indicated at It for reinforcing the drawer sides. The drawer sides may be provided on their outer surfaces with angle bars Il secured thereto, for example, by welding, which may cooperate with suitable rollers or tracks (not shown), for guiding the drawer while sliding into and out of a cabinet. This cabinet may be of any suitable or desired form and may include side walls I8 connected by a back wall I9, see particularly Figs. 2 and 3, The lower portions of the side walls of the drawer are preferably connected at the rear thereof by means of a strip 20 which may be welded to parts of the side walls II and I2.

The rear end of the drawer is closed by means 'of a compression plate 22, the lower end of which may be hinged in any suitable manner on the drawer. In the construction shown for this purpose, the compression plate 22 is provided at the lower end thereof with a plurality of downwardly extending tongues 211, which may extend through slots formed in the bottom I4 of the drawer near .i the rear end thereof. The lower ends of these tongues may be bent to lie substantially parallel to the bottom, thus forming projections or offsets 2li which serve to hold the tongues against withdrawal from the slots and thus prevent the lifting of the compression plate 22 out of operative relation to the bottom lli of the drawer. Any other suitable means for hinging the lower end 4of the compression plate to the drawer may be provided, if desired.

. The sides of the compression plate are preferably bent into substantially channel form as shown at 25 to reinforce the same and the upper end of the compression plate may be turned over or beaded as shown at 26. The compression plate may also have an opening 2l therein, by means of which the bead 26 of the compression plate may be readily grasped by the hand of the operator. Bumpers 28 of rubber 0r other cushioning material may be provided on the beaded portion of the compression plate to cushion the impact caused by contact of the drawer against the rear wall I9 of the cabinet.

The pivotal connection between the compression plate and the drawer bottom enables the compression plate to be swung into a rearwardly inclined position, as Shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and to an upright or compression position, as shown Y in broken lines in Figi l and in full lines in Fig. 3,

and it is desirable to provide means for releasably holding the compression plate in the inclined position when the drawer is opened, so that the upper portions of the les in the drawer may be 'easily separated to aiord ready access to the these purposes, I have in the particular construction illustrated 'byf'way of example 'provided a pair of slide bars 3E) 4which are slidable lengthwise viI'l thechannel-sha'ped upper portion 15 O'fthe drawer sides yIl 4and l2. These slide bars 3U ii'a'y be formed of sheet metal and, as shown, are ofsubaStattJJlSY Yh'a'llfieiSQfape to fit 4itfill'l'iil th "chan- Anelled portions I'S 'of 'the sidewalls. In or'derfto 'fetain these slide bars within vthe channel T5, the "slide barsfare preferably provided with Z-'slfiaped portions si extending 'aioo'g Ythe 4opper edges thereof, see particularly Fig. 5, 'and the iipp'er edges of the drawer "sides at the 'upper ends of tire channels may be nengedjover, es 'showin 'at 32, 'to partly Ienclose the Z-sha'ped portions 'of 'the slide here at and prevent disiodgement ofthe saine vII). vthe 'chal-iel portions Hi. Aiiy bther suitable means for y'guiding the Slide bars on the side walls may be employed, if desired. By means of the construction described, it Awill 'be notedthat Ythefinner surfacesl ofthe slide bars are substanvtia`11`y`ir1 vthesarhe 'plane with the'ih'lel 'faces ofthe side walls of thedrawer and, therefore, do not ob- -stll'ot -in any manner the les Within'the drawer.

The compi'ession plete 22 smey te connected with the two slide bars 30 invanyfsutrable vor vdesired manner, and in 'the construction illustrated, a 'rod -3'5 extends crosswise of the drawer in rear 'or the compression 'plete 'and extends "through 'upright Aslots or openings '35 in the channelsriopedsize portions 25 or the compression siete,

see particularly Fig. `6. The ends 'of fthe 'rod 35 eiitend 'through holes inthe end 'portions A of the Vslide bars 30 and these ends ofthe rodv 35 may be tlireaded and secured Ato 'the slide bars 'by liieans f huts 31. i y "may be interposed between 'the 1nuts 37 and Lthe upright webs of the slide bars. 'Spacing sleeves or collars 39 are preferably interposed between .the innersurfaces of the slides 3'0 and the 'Harige `portions 'of the compression plate, r`these sleeves being of suiciently large diameter 4so that they 'will not pass through the siot's t3s jin 'the vchannel portions 25. By means of this 'construction, the two slide bars '3G are connected 'by fthetransverse rod '35 and during the 'swinging of .1-

the compression plate about its pivot, 'th'etransverse rod SEfmay Vmove inthe slots 36. y

Any suitable resilient means maybe provided "for urging the compression plate into "its upright position, as shown in Fig. 3, and inbreken lines in Fig. l, and in the Vconstruction shown for this purpose, I'have provided a pair of coil "springs Il] whichare arranged in the spaces 'between the phannelled portions IIt of the drawer lSides l'and 'the'channel-shap'ed slide bars 30. YEach ofithese 'springs is connected at one jenoi to a 'hook portion 4I formed on a plate 42 welded or votl'i'er''wisffs'ecured to a side of the drawer within th'efch'anneiled 'portion 1e. The otherend of 'eaoiiiof these springs 'is ooimected't'o e nook or log `ttv'viiith Washers or small plates 38` 5,

assaee may be formed integral with and struck out of the adjacent slide bar 30. Consequently, it will be obvious that the springs will urge the slide bars to the right in Figs. 1 and `2, and thus `draw the compression plate into upright position. The drawer sides are preferably also provided within the channeledportions I6 with stop members also welded in the channeled portions I6 of the draw sides and having suitable bumpers 4B of rubber or-other cushioning material secured thereto in position to be engaged by the forward 'endsjof the 'slid-e bars 3l! when these bars have been moved by the springs 40 into upright positions.

yItis desirable to .provide means for releasably holding the compression plates ',2'2 in 'their rear- 'dlyv inclined positions when :the upper ends Yof fthese plates are pushed rearwardly by an 'opera'- ltorm'agai'nst the action of `the springs 4i). In the 'particular 'construction shown for vthis purpose, a dog or latchA 5071s provided which is pivot'ed on a lug I51 welded or otherwise `secured to the 'outer surface of aside 'wan of` the drawer, 'for example, to the sidewall I`I. This -`laiton has a 'tooth or projecting portion :52 formedjto 'extend through -a slot -53 formed 'on the undersurface of 'the channelled portion 'i6 'of the `drawer 'side H. The slide `lbar 30 mounted on the drawer side vvlvl is also providedwith aslot 54 which v'is' Iso lo"- cateti that when the compression plate `2`2 has :been swung "rearwardly "to the desired jext'e'nt, Vit 'wiugbe in registration 'with 'the not V52, so that the vt'ootlijor the Projecting part 52 of the latch mayferiter in'to bo'th 'of Athese slots. 'This *latch 'is yieldingly urged upwardly into a position in 'which the tooth 52 win poss through'poni slots '53 and 54, and for 'this "purpose, a vc'oii A'spring 55 'is provided on A'one "end, :which Apasses through an aperture in the ing 514, and theret-yserves *to pra filent the iettoil 'from becorrfing fd'isengaged'ifrom this lug, vandthefother end of "this'spring mayene gage between the latch f5!! and la vlug or ip Ei' `preseed-'out ofthe-mon. Thefspriog isfunerten- 'sich Yto forge =the outer-'end -o'f the 'latch "5D i'to swing lupwardly so that its tooth will 'pass 4thrc'iugh the two -siotseano trios poid the siioe per from movging forwardly. The vcomoression pleite will 'be1 releas'abl'yfheld 'by the latchn the position `shown in Fig. 2, andin fuiiiines vio Fig. '1. When fthe latch 'is released 1by swinging the 'saine downwardly, the 4spion-gs tu will tiraw the compression plate -2-2 into the Yupright positionsh'own in Fig. '3, and in broken lines inAFig. V1.

Means are preferably provided for swinging this latch into :releasing positionwhen the drawer is moved into the cabinet. In the construction jshown for-this purpose, aoamorre'lease bar Si! "is `provided which `is rigidly mounted "on Sthe cannet. *In the ,-per't'iouieo construction shown, this cam or release bar is in the fforrnof a flange of a :plate fol, which is 'secured to Y"the "cabinet, 'i' eXaInple, t0 af'stlap 'Or bal' 35S Dr'I'iiil-g 'a pait vl'of the cabinet, and cthe 'liiange Se "is arranged rvto engagea ,projecting part 'o'n the Tatch y'to "ino've `the latch downwardly'durin'gfthe rearward 'inovementof the ytirati/erlio the 'cabinet Forum purpose, "a AYstud orprojeetion 'e2 oe provided Onthe ylatdil il which an Vtiiti-ftitill lfolli 53 may be mounted in such manner that as `the l Vdrawer 'approaches its 'final V.position within 'the cabinet, the roller' will ride o'n'the downwardly 'sloping 'unoersur'fooe kof "the "earn or .pango thus drawing fthe rear end of the latch down- Aijvarilly to :movie the tooth "52 "thereoi 'oit of fthe 'Slot'slin Jthesiide br l3U. coh'Se'diie'ltly, when the latch releasesthe slide bar, the compression plate 22 will be drawn by the springs 4t into upright position. Any other means for releasing the latch from position to hold the compression plate in rearwardly inclined position may be employed, if desired.

The structure described has the advantage that when the file drawer is loaded to capacity,

for operation of a follower block or compressor.

By latching the compression plate in rearwardly swung position, the same can be maintained in that position by means of the latch as long as the drawer is in open position and the cornpression plate when swung rearwardly lies at an angle to facilitate the examination of the contents. When examination cf the files is cornpleted, it is not necessary for the operator to remember to release the latch, since this is automatically taken care of when the drawer is moved approximately into its final position in the cabinet.

It will be understood thatv various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a filing cabinet drawer including a com-- pression plate for compressing the contents of the drawer and having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, spring means for urging said compression plate to swing into a substantially upright position and against which said plate may be swung manually into a rearwardly inclined position, latch means mounted on said drawer for holding said compression plate in a rearwardly inclined position against the action of said spring means, and latch disengaging means actuated by the movement of said drawer into said cabinet to release said latch means to permit said springs to draw said compression plate forwardly.

2. A filing cabinet drawer according to claim 1, in which said latch disengaging means include a part mounted on said cabinet and which cooperates with said latch means when said drawer is moved into said cabinet.

3, In a filing cabinet drawer including a compression plate having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, a pair of slide bars slidably mounted one on each side of the drawer, connections between said slide bars and said compression plate, springs connected with said slide bars and urging the same to swing forwardly with reference to said drawer, and latch means engaging a slide bar for latching said slide bar and said compression plate in a rearwardly inclined position, said latch means when disengaged from said slide bar permitting said springs to draw said compression plate forwardly.

4. In a filing cabinet drawer including a compression plate having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, a pair of slide bars slidably mounted one on each side of the drawer, connections between said slide bars and said compression plate, springs connected with said slide bars and urging the same to swing forwardly with reference to said drawer, latch 'means engaging a slide bar for latching said slide bar and said compression plate in a rearwardly inclined position, and latch disengaging means actuated by the movement of said drawer into said cabinet to release said latch means to permit said springs to draw said compression plate forwardly. i

5. A filing cabinet according to claim 4 in which said latch disengaging means include i a part mounted on said cabinet and which cooperates with said latch meanswhen said drawer is moved into said cabinet.

6. In a filing cabinet drawer including a compression plate having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, a pair of Slide bars slidably mounted one on each side of the drawer, one of said slide bars having a slot therein, connections between said slide bars and said compression plate, springs for urging said compression plate to swing forwardly with reference to said drawer, a latch member pivoted on said drawer and having a tooth formed to enter said slot of said slide bar for holding said slide bar against forward movement when said compression plate has been swung rearwardly to a predetermined extent, and means for swinging said latch out of engagement with said slide bar to permit said springs to return said compression plate to its upright position.

7. In a filing cabinet drawer including a compression plate having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, a pair of slide bars slidably mounted one on each side of the drawer, one of said slide bars having a slot therein, connections between said slide bars and said compression plate, springs for urging said compression plate to swing forwardly with reference to said drawer, a latch member pivoted on said drawer and having a tooth formed to enter said slot of said slide bar for holding said slide bar against forward movement when said compression plate has been swung rearwardly to a predetermined extent, and means mounted on said cabinet in position to engage said latch to move said latch out of engagement with said slide bar when said drawer' is in proximity to its inner position in said cabinet.

8. In a filing cabinet drawer including a compression plate having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, a pair of slide bars slidably mounted one on each side of the drawer, one of said slide bars having a slot therein, connections between said slide bars and said compression plate, springs for urging said compression plate to swing forwardly with reference to said drawer, a latch member pivoted on said drawer and having a tooth formed to enter said slot of said slide bar for holding said slide bar against forward movement when said compression plate has been swung rearwardly to a predetermined extent, a roller mounted on said latch, and a release bar mounted on said cabinet in position to engage said roller before said drawer moves to its inner position within said cabinet, said release bar being inclined in a direction to swing said latch on its pivot out of engagement with said slide bar.

9. In a filing cabinet drawer having side walls provided with channel-shaped portions adjacent the upper edges of said side walls and including a compression plate having its lower portion pivotally mounted on said drawer, a pair of slide bars slidably mounted on each side of said drawer and of substantially channel-shape and arranged to slide within said channel-shaped upper portions '7 of said drawer sides, and having its open face facing the interior off said channel-shaped .porftlons of said side walls :and said slide bars, springs confined in vthe space betweenV said 'channelshaped portions of said 'side walls and isai slide bars, each of said springs having `'one end thereof connected to said drawer and 'the other end to .a :slide bar, connections 'between said slide bars and .said compression plate, and latch .means engage ing 'a slide bar for lttclfiin'g the -Same 4in position 'to support said compression plate in arearwardly inclined position against the 'action of said springs, Iand latch 'releasing means 'for disengag- 'ing said latch `from said slide 'par to permit said springs to draw .said compression piate into :sub- 15 `stantally upright position.

JAMES R. JONES1 `RElERENCES CITED The following references are of record in 'the 'Ille of this patent:

UNITED vS'ZFA'TSEIS PATENTS YNumber Name Date '2,116,370 Watkins lMay 3, 1938 2,272,537 'West s i- Feb. 10, 1942 2,310,264 'Straubel Feb. 9, .1943 2,310,879 Straubel Feb. 9, 1943 2,323,632 'Straubel Ju'ly '6, 1943 '2,356,650 Bullock Aug. 22 .19214 

